Tuesday, 21 June 2016

FEATURE: Football and depression

With so many eyes on Wales during Euro 2016, it’s
impossible not to reflect on the man that got them there and the battles
he faced… Gary Speed

While there was a bit of a fuss made around his depression at the time
of his death, it is still as prudent a topic now as it was then.

In ‘normal situations’ continuous participation in sport and exercise is
known to help decrease the impact of illnesses such as depression.

However, the stresses and pressures of professional sport can
make professional sportspeople prone to depression. The deaths of
players such as Robert Enke and Gary Speed have highlighted the impact
of depression players who are still active and those who have retired.

In recent years more professional sportsmen have been open about
their battles with depression. Despite the attention, mental illness
in sport including depression still has many stigmas attached to it.

Credit has to be paid to the players unions, clubs and federations
who are now trying to understand depression better and put in
place support structures, coping mechanisms and create a safe place
for players to open up about their struggles.

From the outside the life of a footballer seems perfect. They appear to
be living the dream with adoring friends and invitations to
A-line events and all the money in the world. However often players can
feel alone and may find the stress and pressures put on them are too
much. Often seeking help may be perceived as a sign of weakness or
players expect that they have everything and thus should not feel sad or
have doubts. They may choose to pretend they are fine, hiding the
demons they are dealing with from even those closest to them. Faking
feelings
of elation when experiencing victory may hide the reality of a player feeling unfulfilled or empty and indifferent.

Fifpro recently conducted a study to try and quantify the impact
of depression on professional players in order to ensure that the
correct structures are put in place to help players when they need it.
Six hundred and seven players from 11 different leagues based on
3 continents were interviewed and the results showed 38 % of
players experienced some symptoms associated with depression. Players
who have experienced serious injury were 2-4 times more likely to have
also experienced depression symptoms. These included sleep disturbances,
distress and adverse use of alcohol.

A Fifpro study of 180 players found that 26% of players suffered
from depression with 19% suffering from adverse use of alcohol,
3%dealing with low esteem, 7% smokers, 5% burnout and 15% in
distress. Genetics and things like neurotransmitters and chemical
imbalances contribute to the likelihood of a player experiencing
chronic depression. In addition to this there are psychosocial factors
related to professional football that play a role.

Footballers are in the public eye and every move they make on the field
in scrutinised over and over again. They can often be vilified for any
mistakes and the expectation from within the team and external pressure
from fans and media means that players are under large amounts of
stress. The quick nature of the game means that a single mistake could
cost a team a championship or league status and players may feel fear of
failure which increases their anxiety.

In general social stability and a stable home life can help people with
depression. Footballers, however are often on the road living in hotels
and spending their time in different cities. This can be for matches
but also sponsors events and other marketing opportunities for the
player. This can limit the time a player spends with his family and
friends and often leads to players socialising with acquaintances whose
goal to be associated with a footballer rather than who are looking out
for the player. The celebrity lifestyle may lead to players not having
people they trust around them and may increase their use of alcohol as a
means to cope with feeling lonely or empty.

Tournaments provide a special challenge and while in the past
players were sequestered with the aim of only concentrating on football,
these days many teams encourage interactions with family members during
the tournaments.

With globalisation of club football it means that players are often away
from their families for long periods although advances in technology
helps them stay in touch. Although players often hide any problems they
may face from their support structure back home. Even relationships with
people in the same country can suffer when players might not be able to
spend time with their partners and children and this adds to the stress
of the player and can also lead to a loss of support from the partner.

Childhood trauma can also lead to depression later on. Many
players start their path to professional football at an early age and
any negative experiences including breaking down player from coaches
may result in players having doubts and this can extend into
their professional careers.

Football is also an industry that is always moving. The media and
fans will build up a player one day only to break them down the next.
There is no guarantee for a player and the status of a player can change
in an instant. Coaching changes can mean that a player who was
playing every game is suddenly not playing, competition with younger or
other players may lead to transfers of the player etc. This uncertainty
can also play a role in players feeling unsettled and can lead
to depression.

Retiring from professional sport has also been linked to depression with
39% of former players showing signs of depression. It is an adjustment
for former players who had the adoration and screaming fans every week
to adjust to a quieter life. Missing the lads from the team also creates
a feeling of not having anywhere to belong. The football locker room in
built on camaraderie, an environment of inside jokes, pranks and a
brotherhood of people all aiming to win each game. Once Retiring a
player no longer fits into that family and must now again try to find
his place in the world.

Both former and active football players require assistance and
support in dealing with depression and other mental illnesses. Access
to psychologist and creating an environment within the club where
players have a support structure to help them deal with their issues
is important. Medical and scientific teams can assist players
in identifying depression and coping with the symptoms while
also addressing unhealthy coping mechanisms such as alcohol consumption.

Already in football at some tournaments Fifa have put in place rules to
help referees cope better. Soundtracks to help sleep better
after matches and compulsory family time can help referees cope better
with symptoms of depression and such tools can be utilised for players.

Understanding and accepting that depression is a real problem
in professional football is the first step. Educating players and
all stakeholders and , getting rid of the stigma and providing
players with medical personnel and including their social support
structures within the club family can go a long way in minimising the
impact of depression.

Dr Khatija Bahdur recently completed her PHD in sport
science, She has been working primarily in football for nine years and
has served as a sport scientist for South African referees and has
served as a member of the Safa medical subcommittee for research and
development. She is currently working with HFPA and has in the past
lectured at UJ. She is also busy with several scientific and medical
research projects with other football colleagues. She is also the
co-director of the newly formed sport science and health and fitness
company Kicking Kinetics.